Moon's temperature dropped during global COVID lockdown, says Indian study
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A new study led by Indian researchers has revealed that the global COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 not only impacted Earth but also caused a significant drop in lunar nighttime temperatures.
Published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, the research found that the Moon’s surface temperatures dipped unusually during the strict lockdown period in April-May 2020.
Researchers K Durga Prasad and G Ambily from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in India examined data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, focusing on six sites on the Moon’s nearside between 2017 and 2023. They observed a consistent decrease of 8-10 Kelvin in lunar surface temperatures during the lockdown months, compared to the same time frame in other years.
The study suggests that this dip in lunar temperatures coincided with a reduction in Earth's outgoing radiation. As human activity decreased due to lockdown measures, there was a marked drop in greenhouse gas emissions and aerosols, resulting in less heat being trapped and radiated back into space.
"An anomalous dip in lunar nighttime surface temperatures was observed for all the sites during April–May 2020, the period of global lockdown, when compared to previous and subsequent years," the researchers noted.
This rare event allowed scientists to explore how human activity on Earth can influence the Moon's environment. The team observed significant temperature variations across different lunar sites. The lowest temperature recorded was 96.2 Kelvin in 2020, while the highest was 143.8 Kelvin in 2022. Notably, 2020 marked the coldest temperatures across most sites, with a warming trend observed in 2021 and 2022 as human activity resumed.
While the study presents a fascinating correlation between Earth’s radiation changes and lunar temperatures, the authors emphasize the need for more data to confirm this connection. They suggest future Moon-based observatories could offer valuable insights into Earth’s climate and environmental shifts.